The Conveyancing Process
The conveyancing process for selling a residential property in England or Wales involves several steps, from accepting an offer to completing the sale and transferring ownership to the buyer. The process can take from several weeks to a few months, depending on the circumstances. It may be extended if there are issues, such as delays in responding to enquiries or problems with mortgage arrangements.
Our expert Residential Conveyancing team can guide you through the process, offering a competitively priced service tailored to your needs.
Below, we outline how you can expect the process to unfold, and how we can assist throughout.
Accepting an offer
- Once a buyer makes an offer on your property via an estate agent, and you accept it, the conveyancing process begins.
- The sale is not legally binding at this stage, and either party can back out without penalty.
Instructing a conveyancing solicitor
- You need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor to handle the legal aspects of the sale. They’ll handle all paperwork, liaise with the buyer’s conveyancer, and ensure a smooth transaction. Our team is highly experienced in this process and will clearly explain every step in plain English. We will support you throughout to ensure everything goes as seamlessly as possible.
CONTACT US
If you wish to discuss a case with us, please contact Tracey Longdon on 01420 81285 or fill in the form below.
Drafting and sending the contract pack
- As your solicitor, we will prepare a draft contract pack and send it to the buyer’s solicitor. This pack includes:
- Draft sale contract
- Property information form (TA6) with general information about the property, such as boundaries, disputes, and utilities
- Fixtures and fittings form (TA10) detailing items included in the sale
- Title deeds or evidence of ownership, often obtained from the Land Registry.
- Additional documentation, such as planning permissions, building regulations certificates, compliance certificates and an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), is also provided if required.
Responding to the buyer’s enquiries
- The buyer’s solicitor will review the contract pack and may raise enquiries. Typical enquiries may relate to boundaries, property rights, recent repairs, or specific conditions of the property.
- We will work with you to answer these enquiries accurately and in a timely manner.
Signing the contract
- Once both parties agree the contract and enquiries have been resolved, the contract is ready for signature.
- You will sign the contract, but the exchange of contracts (making the sale legally binding) usually does not happen until both the buyer and seller are ready.
Exchanging contracts
- The exchange of contracts is a key milestone in the conveyancing process, as it makes the sale legally binding.
- This typically involves a phone call between solicitors, where we confirm that both parties have signed identical copies of the contract.
- Upon exchange, the buyer pays a deposit (usually 10% of the sale price), and both parties commit to completing the transaction on the agreed date.
- After exchange, neither party can withdraw without incurring financial penalties.
Preparing for completion
- Following the exchange, both parties prepare for completion day:
- We will obtain a redemption figure from your mortgage lender, which shows the exact amount needed to pay off your mortgage (if applicable).
Completion day
- You should arrange for the property to be vacated and for all belongings to be removed, unless agreed otherwise in the contract.
- On the completion day, the buyer’s solicitor transfers the remaining funds to our account.
- Once funds are received, the buyer’s solicitor and estate agent are notified, and the keys are handed over to the buyer.
Post-completion tasks
- We will:
- Repay your mortgage lender (if applicable)
- Settle any outstanding fees (e.g., estate agent fees) from the sale proceeds
- Send you the remaining balance of the sale proceeds.
- The buyer’s solicitor will handle the Land Registry update to reflect the buyer as the new owner, so you have no further responsibilities regarding ownership transfer.
Final accounts and closing
- We will provide a completion statement with a breakdown of all fees, expenses, and the final amount transferred to you.
- After settling all expenses, the conveyancing process is complete.
Contact us
If you have any questions on any elements of the process and how we can help with the sale of your property, please contact us at [email protected] or 01420 82879
